Is Mileage The Secret To The Marathon?

Dave Emilio, a correspondent for the Canadian Web site, The Globe and Mail, is training for the Scotiabank Toronto Marathon on October 16. He says this go-around, he is focusing on seeing real results and is therefore dedicating more time to hill repeats, intervals, as well as the progression run.

What’s a progression run?

“That’s where you start out easy and build up to a fast finish,” he writes. “Despite the effort, progression runs always leave me feeling great.”

But along with these essentials, Emilio is also working on another element: pure mileage. He is striving for 90 to 95K a week (up to 60 miles) with a maximum of 110K (over 68 miles) for a few weeks.

“I’m excited to see if I can increase my mileage while still managing to stay healthy,” he confides.

Emilio uses a relevant quote from Running Times’ senior editor Scott Douglas when describing how to approach the 26.2-mile slog come race day: “In the first half of the race, don’t be an idiot. In the second half, don’t be a wimp.”

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